Archive for the ‘stumbled upon’ category

Lewis, 82, will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the 81st Academy Awards on Feb. 22.

He’ll be presented with an Oscar statuette to honor his decades of work with the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Lewis has been MDA’s national chairman since 1952 and has raised more than $2 billion through his Labor Day Telethon since 1966.

“Jerry is a legendary comedian who has not only brought laughter to millions around the world,” said Academy President Sid Ganis, “but has also helped thousands upon thousands by raising funds and awareness for those suffering from muscular dystrophy.”

The award is given periodically to an individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry.

Lewis, who has made Las Vegas his home for much of his life, joins a list that includes Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Charlton Heston, Danny Kaye and Quincy Jones.

The award is named after Jean Hersholt, who served as president of the Motion Picture Relief Fund for 18 years.

Lewis, who has never been nominated for an Oscar, won a Golden Globe award in 1966 for his role in “Boeing (707) Boeing (707)” for Best Motion Picture Actor in Musical/Comedy.

I’ve always liked the Edgar Allan Poe classic The Raven. One of my favorite grade school teachers, Mrs Harper, used to read it to us, thrilling the dickens out of our little ten-year old selves. I ran across Garrison Keillor’s rendition of the poem a year or so ago and believe it among the finest I’ve heard. Here it is…

Here is a pretty cool video (under 4 minutes) summarizing a pool reporter’s experience riding Air Force One with the president to a private fundraiser in Atlanta. This is stuff you never get to see, so I found it interesting…